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FAST FACT:

At 83.8 percent in 2004, Utah's public high school graduation rate is the best in the country.

Welcome to Utahns for Public Schools

Achieving the goal of quality public education for every child in Utah will require every one of us to take action. Take the time to learn, vote and act on behalf of our children's future. Understand key issues and decisions that impact Utah's education system, and make quality education a priority. Together, we can give kids a better education.

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2015 Utah Legislative Updates

School Board Election Process

Support Direct, Non-partisan Elections for School Boards

In recent weeks, Judge Clark Waddoups ruled in federal court that the
State Board of Education selection process used for the past 10 years is
unconstitutional.

There are many, many reasons not to pass a partisan school board bill. No one political party
captures all of the issues in public education nor has all the remedies
for its many challenges. Public education should not be restricted by
operating inside of the parameters of a political party or of its party
leader(s). Partisan politics, even well-intended, tends to be uneven
and subject to the whims of lawmakers. Schools should not have to brace
for new administrations or new majorities or new representatives each
election cycle. Children and teachers need continuity and stability,
even as they work to innovate and improve. Local leadership provides
local accessibility to all of Utah’s citizens. Let’s not have school
board members become “beholden” to politicians; let’s keep them
accountable to their neighbors and local communities.

The state Parent Teacher Association (PTA), with its thousands of parent
and teacher members across Utah, advocates for children; the Utah
School Boards Association (USBA), which represents parents and community
leaders who serve as local school board members; and the Utah Education
Association (UEA), which represents thousands of teachers in our
classrooms, all strongly encourage legislators to enact direct,
nonpartisan elections. ---> Read More

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Utahns for Public Schools believes that good public policy is best created in the context of an open, transparent process, where public participation is encouraged, and elected officials are held to high ethical standards.

2014 Count My Vote SB54 Compromise Uncertain

During the 2014 legislative session, Utah legislators passed SB54 as a compromise to the citizens’ “Count My Vote” Initiative. The Initiative was launched as an effort to increase voter participation and broaden engagement in Utah elections by implementing a direct primary where each and every voter gets to cast his or her own vote, replacing the caucus delegate system where that opportunity was delegated to someone else. The 2014 compromise bill SB54 passed by the legislature (Rep. votes, Sen. votes) and signed into law by Governor Herbert:

Preserved Utah’s caucus-convention system, but also allows an alternative path to the primary ballot if a candidate gathers enough signatures

Permits unaffiliated voters to vote in a parties primary elections

Allows absentee voting on caucus election night, with a 2-day window for the voting to take place

Raises the threshold for avoiding a primary election to at least 65% of the delegate vote at convention. (a 5% increase)

Even though a compromise was struck between the Utah Legislature and Initiative supporters last year, certain legislators are proposing changing the law and reneging on the deal.

Public School Funding—Are We Doing Enough?

Reports show changes to Utah tax policies over the past decade have eroded public education funding by more than $1 billion per year.

The School Funding and Tax Policy Series Reports I-IV issued by Utahns for Public Schools (UTPS) highlights legislative policy changes that are responsible for Utah’s decline in Public Education funding effort. In addition, it is a warning that if these trends persist, they will continue to significantly limit funding to Public Education in the future. These research reports find that systemic, if not systematic, changes have occurred in the past decade that, if reversed, would bring more than a $1 billion in revenue back into Public Education. View reports...

This site is your resource for information on education issues facing the state of Utah. We hope you will visit often and join our efforts to strengthen public schools and improve education for all Utah students.